"Hidden Lakes" in NJ Pine Barrens???

Hey, I recently bought an '09 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon and have been wheelin' it a lot in Wharton State Forest near Batsto and Atsion Lake. I've heard of and have seen pictures of a place called "Hidden Lakes" and am trying to find it. Where is this place? THANKS!

Hey, I recently bought an '09 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon and have been wheelin' it a lot in Wharton State Forest near Batsto and Atsion Lake. I've heard of and have seen pictures of a place called "Hidden Lakes" and am trying to find it. Where is this place? THANKS!

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Hidden lakes is not in the Wharton Track. its off rt72 on the north side after a train overpass. i think. its been awhile. somebody else will have correct directions. last time i was there was the late '70's. rolled my CJ-5 and smashed the windsheild frame, 4 daylighters and front right fender. wife was pissed.

Hey, I recently bought an '09 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon and have been wheelin' it a lot in Wharton State Forest near Batsto and Atsion Lake. I've heard of and have seen pictures of a place called "Hidden Lakes" and am trying to find it. Where is this place? THANKS!

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the location is also known as old half way.the entire area is posted keep off by the state but i seriously doubt anyone will be back there to run you off.the signs would seemingly block the main road through there but no effort has been made to block any roads.i think it's a thing that if you get hurt they told you to keep off kind of deal.
Al

by all means do NOT get caught back there. it is a wildlife management area. if you are there after dark, that is a ticket, if you get caught off the main road (where all of the mud is) that's another ticket. it used to be the spot to go up until 1984, now you are really risking a substantial amount of fines.

Hey, I recently bought an '09 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon and have been wheelin' it a lot in Wharton State Forest near Batsto and Atsion Lake. I've heard of and have seen pictures of a place called "Hidden Lakes" and am trying to find it. Where is this place? THANKS!

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We use to go there during the high school years, usually on a Friday night. We would drink beer and enjoy our women. That was a long time ago. Hidden Lakes has a few names as you know, half way, as was mentioned and we refered to it as Freddies lake because a friend of our nam Fred, took us there initially. Remember the fines, $74, not 73 or 75, we don't know why. Comrad Corzine wants your money. Keep in mind our state motto, " Welcome to NJ, open your wallet"

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I'm pretty positive that's the place my co-worker was telling me about. He told me about an awesome place that was popular with the dirtbike and quad groups that was off of route 72 near a Railroad trestel/bridge. DARN! I really don't want to wheel illegally. I love my Jeep and I love the Pines and I really don't want to trespass or get ticketed. I believe in the whole "Tread Lightly" thing and I sometimes take trash out of the woods when I come across it. I looked at that place on Google Earth and when I zoomed in I could see some buildings with cars parked around it. I wonder what that's all about.

I'm pretty positive that's the place my co-worker was telling me about. He told me about an awesome place that was popular with the dirtbike and quad groups that was off of route 72 near a Railroad trestel/bridge. DARN! I really don't want to wheel illegally. I love my Jeep and I love the Pines and I really don't want to trespass or get ticketed. I believe in the whole "Tread Lightly" thing and I sometimes take trash out of the woods when I come across it. I looked at that place on Google Earth and when I zoomed in I could see some buildings with cars parked around it. I wonder what that's all about.

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there are no buildings around half way.we must be talking about two different places.some very old cellar holes if you know where to look but they'd never show on an aerial.maybe your looking at the sand wash out near woodmansie road?
Al

Old Halfway (hidden lakes) is patrolled by fish and game. I was stopped there by fish and game and they are aggressive in there tactics and unforgiving. There are numerous signs saying restricted. It has many erosion issues due in part to large amounts of ORV use. It is a very cool area and has a colorful modern history as well. The area mentioned on Route 72 with the train trestle would most likely be the Chatsworth ORV park which is now closed and privately owned.

there are no buildings around half way.we must be talking about two different places.some very old cellar holes if you know where to look but they'd never show on an aerial.maybe your looking at the sand wash out near woodmansie road?
Al

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That's the Hanson pit, I think, which I think is being worked. I was up to the back of it a few months ago, and there wasn't much going on. Some guys were over on the far side shooting.

But yeah, nothing much around Old Halfway. I see Jeepers down there pretty regularly, and the bluffs have evidence of being climbed by ATV riders, though I haven't actually seen any doing it. I once saw a couple of guys back there chopping trees down with an axe, apparently for fun as they weren't cutting them up and had no means of conveying the wood out of the area. So good for Fish and Game. That place needs all the help it can get.

Hidden Lakes... yes that was the place to be in the 80's.. dont remember much about it other than it was a good time. My most vivid memory is riding a quad in a denim minidress and drinking 2 liter bottles of California Cooler!

Back in the early 70's we used some of that area for our Enduro.It was a prestine area.No trash No parties.Enter the beer parties and what ever else they do.Trashed the area on a daily basis.One guy wound up in the water in his jeep.Could not get out of his seat belt and drowned.Shortly there after, the State shut down the area.Damn shame.

Back in the early 70's we used some of that area for our Enduro.It was a prestine area.No trash No parties.Enter the beer parties and what ever else they do.Trashed the area on a daily basis.One guy wound up in the water in his jeep.Could not get out of his seat belt and drowned.Shortly there after, the State shut down the area.Damn shame.

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